Empact

13/10/2026

"Asking for help sounds simple enough—until you actually have to do it." 💬

On 6 October, Empact’s Deputy CEO, Keng Hwee Yap, joined Hongbin Jeong on Money FM 89.3 to discuss an issue close to our hearts - youth mental well-being and one of our newest community initiatives — Chat Circles. This initiative is our community response to the SG Youth Plan to bring genuine human connection and support to young Singaporeans navigating life transitions.

What is , and why does it matter?
In today’s hyper-connected world, many young people find themselves surrounded, but unseen. Digital connectivity creates the illusion of a vibrant social life, yet behind the screen, many youths with hundreds of online connections struggle to name a single person they can be truly honest with.

Chat Circles bridges this gap by creating a safe, uplifting space for youths to engage in positive, no-strings-attached conversations. An informal chat with a trained, neutral listener makes opening up far less intimidating, allowing youths to share their vulnerabilities without fear of being labelled or handed unsolicited advice. Rather than focusing on deficits or problems, the chat centres on a strength-based approach.

Our volunteer listeners are equipped with active listening, strength-spotting, and coaching skills. These skills are transferable back to the workplace when our volunteers engage in similar conversations with their team members.

If you are interested to bring Chat Circles to your youth community or to meaningfully engage your employees to contribute to the community, do reach out to Empact, today!

🔗 Listen to the full Money FM 89.3 interview here: https://omny.fm/shows/moneyfm-evening-show/the-agenda-could-just-talking-help-young-people-feel-less-alone

📧 Interested in bringing Chat Circles to your network? Connect with us at [email protected]!

☕ If you are interested to join as a Chatter, join our next session on 22 Oct by signing up through this link: https://discover.nyc.gov.sg/events/chat-circles-session-msse8xvv

👂If you would like to volunteer as a Listener, register your interest here: https://portal-dev.empact.sg/listener

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Chat Circles is led by Empact, in partnership with Hush TeaBar and The School of Positive Psychology, and supported by CapitaLand Hope Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Singapore.

12/10/2026

Across government, corporate, funder, and social sector leadership, a shared question unites us: How do we move beyond isolated success stories and operational efficiency to create sustained, ecosystem-wide impact? 💡

True change does not happen in silos. Whether shaping public policy, directing corporate social responsibility (CSR), funding social initiatives, or leading on the ground, real scale requires us to bridge sectors, rethink funding, and harness digital transformation together.

To mark our 15th anniversary and celebrate Singapore’s milestone achievement as the only country in Asia to attain the top "Doing Excellent" tier in the newly released CAPS Doing Good Index (DGI) 2026, we cordially invite our partners and ecosystem decision-makers to join us for Empact 15th Anniversary Dialogue: From Doing Excellent to Sustaining and Amplifying Impact, co-hosted with Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society - CAPS.

Together, we will dive into regional benchmarks from the newly launched CAPS Doing Good Index (DGI) 2026 Study presented by Annelotte Walsh, hear candid multi-sector reflections on AI adoption and patient capital from our guest speakers Christian Chao & Sue Tommey, and participate in a hands-on AI Worklab — experiencing a guided, practical session on customising free-to-use AI tools to enhance knowledge structuring, data intelligence, fundraising, and impact storytelling.

👥 Who Should Attend:
Curated specifically for Senior Leaders & Management Teams (Executive Directors, Board Members, C-suite Executives, Heads of CSR/Philanthropy, and Agency Directors).

(Not a senior leader? Feel free to tag or forward this post to your Executive Director or Management Team so they can represent your organisation!)

📌 Full session highlights, speaker details, and agenda can be found in the attached event poster.

🔗 Reserve your spot here: tinyurl.com/22oct-empact

We look forward to hosting your leadership team as we shape the next chapter of social impact together!

23/09/2026

Through our continued partnership with the National Youth Council Singapore (NYC), Empact is proud to once again work alongside Linklaters, and for the first time, welcoming the PayPal Legal Team as a partner in connecting youths with industry professionals for a day of real, honest conversation about careers.

Earlier this year on 28 April, we brought together 26 youths with sector professionals through a Human Library panel discussion, where our volunteers spoke candidly about their career journeys, lateral moves, and the unfiltered realities of the working world. This was followed by personalised small-group mentoring sessions, giving each youth a safe space to explore their own path with guidance tailored to them.

One thing that stayed with us: technical competence gets you in the room, but it is your soft skills, coachability, and authenticity that get you noticed. And when it comes to taking risks, the panel shared that growth requires you to push beyond your comfort zone, intentionally — just never at the expense of your own well-being.

A heartfelt thank you to our panel mentors and volunteers from Linklaters and PayPal, for showing up with such openness and generosity to support and inspire our youths in their career wayfinding journey. Thank you to the youths who actively participated during this meaningful session too.

🔗 Our next session will be on 15 October! Register now at: https://discover.nyc.gov.sg/events/career-compass-youth-group-mentoring-mu3tcrq0

08/09/2026

Curious how is transforming careers in the Creative and Finance sectors?

Welcome to Career Compass: Meet-the-Expert, an interactive series connecting youths directly with industry leaders to explore real-world career paths, evolving job roles, and the essential skills shaping today’s AI-driven workforce.

For this upcoming session, we bring together two professionals using AI at opposite ends of the spectrum: creative media and finance. Join us for an honest, unscripted conversation on how they built their careers, lessons learned along the way, and what they wish they had known starting out.

Structured in an interactive Human Library panel format, you will be able to:

🎙️ Listen to candid, non-linear career stories from the creative and finance worlds.
💬 Ask your burning questions directly to our guest experts.
🧭 Discover how to make informed choices about your future studies and career path.

Who should attend? Open to all Singapore-based youths and undergraduates, especially those entering the workforce or anyone curious about how AI is reshaping careers outside of purely technical roles!

Grab a friend and see you there: https://discover.nyc.gov.sg/events/career-compass-meet-the-expert-session-msod3rr4

(This programme is hosted on Discover, a youth platform by the National Youth Council Singapore.)

28/08/2026

Empact is proud to have officially launched Chat Circles, a new upstream mental wellbeing initiative for youths in Singapore, yesterday at grovve!

Navigating education, early career decisions, and personal growth can feel overwhelming - and many youths struggle to find safe, honest spaces to talk without the fear of judgment or being labeled.

Chat Circles offers a warm, no-strings-attached space where young people can take a breather, have uplifting one-on-one conversations in a cafe-like setting, and learn simple techniques to regulate their emotions. Youths are paired with volunteer listeners who are trained in positive psychology - to help them discover and spotlight their own inner strengths.

This ecosystem of support is made possible with true community effort. Our partners, Hush TeaBar guides our opening mindfulness grounding session led by deaf facilitators, while The School of Positive Psychology equips our volunteers with positive psychology principles and an adapted coaching process to support participants to explore what energises and sustains them, how they regulate their emotions, and identify what they want to carry forward.

Thanks to support from CapitaLand Hope Foundation, National Youth Council Singapore and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth - MCCY, creates a welcoming environment for youths to feel genuinely seen and heard.

Read more about our launch in the media:
🔗 Strait Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/need-someone-to-talk-to-youth-in-spore-can-turn-to-trained-listeners-in-new-initiative
🔗 8world Mediacorp News: https://www.8world.com/singapore/chat-circles-official-launch-3260641
🔗 Lianhe Zaobao: https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/singapore/story20260826-9580639?utm_source=ios-share&utm_medium=app
🔗 Tamil Murasu: https://www.tamilmurasu.com.sg/singapore/launch-chat-circles-new-mental-wellbeing-initiative-singaporean-youth

Interested to join us in this upstream mental well-being effort? Reach out to us on LinkedIn or [email protected] to explore how we can partner to enhance support for youth mental well-being!

SHINE Children & Youth Services

18/08/2026

Workplace AI is no longer optional - it is the primary driver of organisational innovation. If you are ready to translate your tech passion into community impact, build a mentored portfolio project, and future-proof your career with real-world AI skills, apply now and secure your spot today!

💡 1️⃣ Demystify Industry Realities: Career Compass (Meet-the-Expert)
Register here: https://discover.nyc.gov.sg/events/career-compass-meet-the-expert-session-msod3rr4

🛠️ 2️⃣ Build Practical AI Capabilities: AI Worklabs (EASI)
Register here: https://discover.nyc.gov.sg/events/easi-enabling-augmented-social-impact-msoidknh

🤝 3️⃣ Drive Community Action: AI Impact Sprint (SBV AI Project)
Register here: https://discover.nyc.gov.sg/events/ai-impact-sprints-skills-based-volunteering-ai-project-msojx1xa

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Aligning with national efforts under the SG Youth Plan to foster "AI Bilingualism" (helping young Singaporeans pair tech literacy with real-world application), Empact, in partnership with the National Youth Council (NYC), is excited to launch the Youth Career Exploration in AI for Good Programme!

Our goal is to empower youths to be Confident, Connected, and Contributing by moving from passive tech consumption to active, ethical applications within the social sector. Through this pilot initiative, we have three tailored opportunities lined up above for you to gain industry insights, build deployable AI tools, or lead a hands-on AI project for a non-profit.

Swipe through the visuals for full programme details, dates, and featured speakers.

(This programme is hosted on Discover, a youth platform by the National Youth Council.)

14/08/2026

"AI shouldn’t just optimise workflows for profit. It should optimise human capability for purpose." - Ringo Fai

As Empact expands our footprint into Hong Kong, we are thrilled to introduce Ringo Fai, Consulting Director in our Social Tech team!

Ringo brings over two decades of commercial experience, spanning top digital consultancies and founding an AI startup, to lead our social tech initiatives in the region. As a bilingual bridge between business and technology teams, he specialises in aligning mindsets, driving intuitive platform design, and executing high-impact strategies.

Deeply rooted in Hong Kong, Ringo understands the unique social landscape and operational challenges local non-governmental organisation (NGO) face. In his new role, he will channel his commercial expertise into the missions that matter most - equipping local NGO leaders with practical digital insights and actionable technology solutions that don't just work, but actively propel their social impact forward.

Please join us in giving Ringo a warm welcome as we embark on this exciting new chapter for Empact in Hong Kong!

13/08/2026

If you are looking for a space where someone is genuinely there to listen, this is for you!

Navigating big life steps, whether it’s finishing school, starting a new career, or stepping into a new role, can feel overwhelming. While digital connectivity is higher than ever, many youths still struggle to find safe, honest spaces to talk without the fear of judgment or being labeled.

That is why at Empact, we are launching 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 — a national youth mental well-being initiative designed to offer a warm, no-strings-attached space where you can take a breather, enjoy an unhurried, positive conversation over a refreshing drink, and learn simple techniques to regulate your emotions.

Ready to grab a drink and find your spark of connection? Join us for our official Launch Session on 26 August 2026 at grovve! 🥤

🔗 Sign Up Here: https://discover.nyc.gov.sg/events/chat-circles-session-mrybj7pf

Navigating big life steps—like finishing school, starting a new career, or taking on a new role—is a major milestone! Chat Circles is a safe, uplif…

04/08/2026

Navigating changing funding conditions while addressing growing needs requires more than a single tool. Only by combining proven sector practices, practical technology, and the right partnerships - can a mission be brought to life!

As we celebrate Empact’s 15 year journey of driving social impact across Asia, we are excited to expand our footprint in Hong Kong!

Drawing upon 15 years of experience supporting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social enterprises, Empact continues to evolve and bridge regional insights to local needs. Together with our partner Give.Asia, we are bringing this cross-border collaboration to life.

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟴 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁!
We warmly invite our regional partners, ecosystem friends, and social sector leaders to an afternoon of practical insights, peer learning, and technology demos.

📅 Date: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM HKT
📍 Location: Dream Impact 夢創成真, Hong Kong

Whether you are based in Hong Kong or collaborating with us across Asia, we look forward to exploring how people, partnerships, and digital tools can work together to amplify impact.

🔗 RSVP to join us in person: https://forms.gle/4tb5fiSkuj19Dhb17

(Spaces are limited to 2 representatives per organisation on a first-come, first-served basis. The session will be conducted in Cantonese and English.)

21/07/2026

Ever wondered how people actually land careers at the intersection of AI and their industry?

In partnership with the National Youth Council (NYC), Empact is bringing back Career Compass: Meet-the-Expert where youths get to connect directly with industry professionals to talk about career journeys, job roles, and the soft skills that matter most.

For our first session, we are bringing two professionals who work with AI in very different worlds, creative media and digital banking, together for one honest conversation about how they really got there.

Meet the speakers:
🎙️ Jayce Tham — Co-Founder, CreativesAtWork & DEAR.AI
🎙️ Chen Yingkai — VP, Digital Finance, OCBC

Whether you are an undergrad still figuring things out, or about to step into the workforce, this session is for you. No tech background needed — just curiosity.

Register now: https://discover.nyc.gov.sg/events/career-compass-meet-the-expert-session-empct-2026-0054

This programme is hosted on Discover, a youth platform by the National Youth Council.